Systems Integration Asia – April-May 2018

Change is excing

Change is constant, but how we ride the change helps us grow and
make a difference. Being a transformaon leader all my life, I like
challenging the norm and drive unconvenonal thinking. There is
definitely a pain involved inially, but we are slowly beginning to
see the results of the change in the thought process. Changing to a
soluon centric approach and posioning ourselves as a total
soluons provider has allowed us to achieve growth in APAC region.
This difference in thinking is what gets me excited not just for now,
but also for the future.

Realignment for growth

Our restructure of global operaons means we are now perfectly
placed for growth, and we're already seeing that happen. The
business is now beer-posioned to meet its customers' needs. We
are also able to increase our speed of new product development;
improve the supply chain; opmize sales, support and corporate
funcons; and accelerate investments in IT, infrastructure and
markeng. On top of this, the changes also mean it's going to be
easier for us to leverage synergies with other divisions of our
parent, HARMAN, as well as with Samsung.

Our associaon with our business partners is me tested. We have
had long me partners with 40+ years of associaon with HARMAN
in our region. Our partners have been very supporve of our
realignment. In 2017 we worked with them on market mapping and
aligning them to our vercal based customer focused strategy.
What we're asking them to do is take a new approach and we have
them completely on board. We are commied to working closely
with our partners, succeed and grow together. When I see how it
leaves us posioned today, I get excited. The future is very bright
for HARMAN Professional in APAC

Building the region / Inch-wide, Mile-deep

My approach to market is “Inch-Wide, Mile-Deep”. We have a great
team that handles the region and as we explore each individual
country level strategy, market segments and vercals they present
an opportunity for growth. All the vercals that we operate in offer
us some growth opportunity, with some may be beer than others
depending on the market. It is important for us to idenfy within
each country, the vercal we are strong in, how we can build our
business in those vercals with support from our country partners,
and achieve market leadership. This helps us to focus our energy on
growth opportunies and pursue them beer.

Partnership is key

Our business development teams focus on end customer
engagement. But as I menoned earlier, it's important that this
happens in close collaboraon with our partners. Enhanced
engagement, communicaon, sharing of technical knowledge and
trainings help us approach the customer together, offering soluons
according to their requirements. We do it together - partners are
happy, and customers see that the manufacturer is also deeply
involved, which helps build confidence.

Soluons/”Customer First” approach

The Harman Acendo Core and Vibe

As you might have noced, I have explained why and how we are

doing a beer job for our customers, and how we can look beyond

what we're currently doing in each sector. This all es back to our

soluons-based approach. To give you a praccal example of what

I've been talking about, consider the Corporate Segment and how

we serve that with our AMX soluon. Previously, much of our focus

was on execuve boardrooms. But in most offices, there's a rao of

one execuve boardroom to 7 or 10 huddle spaces. So with our new

approach to our business and our customers, the obvious queson

was - why don't we do huddle spaces? With this thought as a

starng point, we've now built a product that leverages AMX, JBL

and AKG technology. The product [called AMX Acendo] incorporates

AMX control technology, JBL speakers and AKG microphones that

incorporate echo cancellaon. We offer three versions and now as a

company we can help our customers with soluons that go beyond

execuve boardrooms, again providing a more complete service.

(Editor's note: This interview took place before ISE. At ISE, HARMAN

Professional Soluons introduced among others, AMX Acendo Core,

AMX Acendo Vibe 5100 and 2100 models. All offering different levels

of connecvity in a huddle room or small meeng room space)

All these leads back to our “Customer First” approach. With the

Acendo soluons, We offer all the intelligence from Outlook in one

system with wireless connecvity and integraon with any plaorm

be it WebEx, Zoom, BlueJeans, Skype etc. Expanding our soluons

from execuve boardrooms and huddle spaces to the lobby area,

recepon area and other spaces we can offer further soluons

within the same market segment.

JBL PRO Sound Bar Soluons for the Hospitality Sector

INTERVIEW